Alarm signaling apparatus.



L. A. MEYERS 6L 0. H. TRACY ALARM SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATlON FILED PEB.21, 191!l Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

5 SHEETSSHBET 1.

n f77 Ue 77 fo 7:5.'

loa/ri: @Prix Viz/er1? amy.

1Q. A. .MBYERSKL 0. H. TRAGY.

ALARM SIGNALING APPARATUS. I APPLICATION FILED FEB.21, 1914,

Patented 001'. 13, 1914.

L. A. MEYERS L o. H. TRACY. ALARM SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED PETLZI, 1914.

Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

L. A. MEYERS L 0. 11. TRACY. ALARM'SIGNALING APMRATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.21, 1914.

1,1 1 3,460; Patented 061;. 13, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4,

L. A. MBYERS & 0. H. TRACY ALARM SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION HLBD H1321, 1914.

l, l 1 31,460. Patented 06u13, 19M;

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

a specification.'

.' Our invention relates to an alarm-signaling UNITEDSIATES PATENT OFFRE-;

Louis A. Mayans, or sans cENrER, mNNEsorm-Airn om vnr, n. TRACY; or prima,

sionarms ArPAnarUs Omvnn H. Traci', citizens of the United States, residing at'Sauk Center, Stearns o county, Minnesota, and at Plaza, inthe county of Mcuntrail and State of- North Dakota, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alarm Signaling Apparatuaof which the following is apparatus, and has for its object to provide improved and eiicient-.means for application in telephone venchiin'g'es which, using the bell-- i5 circuits such exchanges, shall operate automatically to ring the telephone bells in a number of separated' rooms or. buildings, as,

i for exanipleiall of the bells 'in the rooms or` a hotel or the telephone bells 1in the rooms of 3 the various lmembers of volunteer fire com-f pany I The full objects and advantages of our ini vention will appear in connection with 'the 5 ularly pointed out in the claims.

detaileddesciptioii thereof and arepartic- In the drawings, illustrating the applicatio-n of our` invention in one form, Figure 1 is a view of an apparatus embodying the `features of ourinvention. Eig. 2 is a sectional elevation on line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig.

3 is ai-front ,elevation view, and.A Fig. 4 a si sectional view of a modified formof our 1ning the circuits eifected and co-i'it-rolle'd by our apparatus. ..1

. Our 'machine comprises frame 10 bn a -3 base 11", on which is secured 'a connecting raaek 12of any well-known construction, said rack comprising the. rc ui'site number of connecting members e13 or connecting the telephone line wireswith the circuit wires 4of our machine, as illustrated in Fig. 1'. Said lii'ie wires may adantiigeouslyl be brought in. in a cable 14 and the wires-'distributed tothe connecting members 13 'ontheconnecting rackv 12. And from e said cf'innecting A' members 13 a seriesnf mires-)vill be led Iby means of two lcables |15 and 16' to requisite connections with an'assembla'ge. of contacts, whiclrwill novi/be described. These contacts preferably consist of spring fingcrssecured 5U in 'proper manner upon assembly liars I1.7 and.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

18,A bar 18 being mounted von frame' 10 ina plane higher or spaced from theplane of bar -17 for a purposewhi'ch will later be ex plained; The contact plates are secured upon the assembly bars inthe same manner for all ,60

of said sets of bars. These contact members comprise two pairs'of spring fingers 19 and- 20, respectively, alternately arranged, each reinforced by stii'enerplates 21 and a pair of Contact springs 22 'and 23 mountedtox'" mo-vc between the ends. of pairs of contacts 19 an'fl 20 and heldt-o move in'unison by means of an'insulatingsspacernl. l For reasonstliat vvill later appeirth'efispring fingers 19 carried by the l'oWer'assembly-bar 17 are the top members of the respective bars of spiings 19, 20,".while the spring fingers 19 carried by assembly'bar 18'are the lower i members of the bars ofspring fingers 19,20. All of those plates or springs are assembled upon tl'ieassembly bars 17 and 18` by means of screw7 bolts 25 surrounded by insulatingA sleeves' 26v with insulating. strips '27 between .the various springs or 'Contact' members, a

top lmetal strip 28 serving 'as afwasher and 8 9 to give binding support tothe screws 25.

Each of springplates '19 and 2O 'is provided with a vplatinum contact' 29', and each ofcou- `tact springs 22and 23 is provided with oppositely-extended contact points 30 and 3l, 85 respectively.A The contact plates 22 and 23 Vare normally so positioned that the-upper contact points. 31 of those v'arranged on the lowerv assembly bar 17, andthe llower contact points 30 of those arranged onthfe upper as- 9 sembly bar 1:8, will beA in contact Vwith the contacts 29 of the spring members 19, respectively above oi" below Vs aidrsets 'of spring fingers 22 and '23.. If the contact fingers 22,23

are moving a shortdistan'ce from. this nor 95 mal position-the contact-.points BO-will be withdrawn from springs 1Q, and thecontact points 31 lwill be cause toengage springs 20i Therrespective-pair's lofsprings 19are connectedthrough connectors 13 w1th line wires' 32, While 'plates 22'v and 23 are connected thro-ugh connectors 13 with line wires 33. they non'milposition of these members, therefore,

providing a coi'nplet@l circuitthrough which the vOrdinar operation of?,vv the telephone, ringing, ta king, et'c.,'v takes place. The spring iingers 20; are c'oniiectedl by wires-.34

.n.nd' with a ringing circuit, as 'will now be described. of wires 34 are connected with asingle circuit wire 3 6,V The alternating wires 35 on one side of the machine are connected to two circuit wires 37 and 38,

respectively, while the alternating wires at the other vside of the machine are. connected to two circuit wires 39 and 40, respectively. The circuit wires 37, 38, 39 and 40 ca eli connects through resistance lamps 41, 42, 43'and 44, respectively, with a common circuit wire 45'. '.l`hrough connectors 13,'

the wires 36 ande-5 connect with the main ringing circuit wires 4G and 47 operated by a pole changer or interruptor 48. It' now means are provided for-moving any desired number of contact springs 22, 23'50 as to break contact with the line circuit and make contact with the ringing circuit, it is apparent that all of the telephone bells of the lines affected will be simultaneously rung.

above pointed out, the assembly bars' 17 and 18 are arranged in different planes, and, as sliown,'tliey are positioned at opposite sides of the machine so that the assemblage of contact members carried thereby extends inwardly, the spring fingers 22, Q3 projecting a suitable distance beyond the other contact members. Fixed upon a shaft 49, jouriialedin bearings in the frame 10, is a roller 50-provided with a plurality of sericsot projections or cam members 5 1, referably formed with beveled or rearwar ly curved surfaces 52. .Said members 51 'are each of a width andsolextended that as roller 50 is rotated the members 51 will engage a pair of contacts 22, 23; and the Avarious series ot' cams 51 are Varranged along the cylinder 50 in staggered'relation, so thatat any one time a determined number onl of vpairs of contacts will be actuated. This number, as

lshown, being three (pairs at any1' one time.

Furthermore, as in icated in g. 2, the cams are so arranged that the pairs of contacts at opposite sides of the rollers, supported by assembly bars 17 and-18, ,may alternately be operated, although, if desired, the pairs of contact springs onopposite sidesof the rollers may besimultaneously o erated. In any event, in the structure slibwn but four resistance lam s are necessary fonprotecting the switch oard and to insure against grounds; for, in, case ot' any ground, it could, at most, affect only the three bells to be rung on the circuit passingthrough the one resistance lamp. This rc ers to the grounds which frequently take place on line wires of the system. Such a ground may occur at a point between the lbell of any telephone and the switchboard,

in which case the bell will not rin'. Resistance lamps are provided to protet the pole change which otherwise might lie-"short circuited by a lille grolind and damaged or destroyed.

For driving the roller 50, we provide a motor of any desired constriuztion, which may comprise a spring 53 to be wound by another arm G5 formed of a hook 66j adaptA ed to engage a catch (37 on a shaft 68, the

shaft G8 haiing thereon a fan'governor (il) and being operated by gear 7() from shaft 57. The arm (S5 has connected*therewith a pivoted link 71 having thereon an armature 7:2 in a position to be attracted by i'elav 73.

'l he relay 73 is connected in a circuit 'ill controllcd by a push button 75 on the machine or elsewhere. By means ot push button 75, the circuit 74 may be closed, energizing relay 73 and thereby lilting catches (i2 and (37.. when the spring will operate the roller oidrum 50 and turn the same through one com-- plete revolution, disk GO in cooperation with catch (52 holding the catch (57 in inoperative position untill the revolution of4 roller `.30 has been con'iplcted, when. the catch 62 will drop into notch (31 and operation ofthe machine be terminated. It'will be appar"- ent thatif desired gearing may be employed such that the roller may be rotated a greater or less nun'iber of times than control disk 60, so that the operation of the machine may be shortened or prolonged as conditions of service may require. During the rotation of the roller the various sets oFcanis 5l will actuate lbf spring lingers 22, l2-l so "as to malte aV l break ringing connections the desire'.l lnumber vof times through all ot' the l ics connected with the apparatus. As sh' xn, tli'isimakiug and breaking is effected tout' times for cach revolution of the roller.

.In addition tova circuit closer on the inachine itself or available for the use of the operator at the telephone exchange, it-is ob# vious that a multiple eircu'it may be employed and circuit closers distributed at various points in the town, preferably in cases out of doors, which may be broken by the watchman or any person who has discovered a lire and the' apparatus automatically started to send out the alarms, as is true of lire-alarm signaling-service to thevarious stations of citv systems. A special disk or cam member 76 is provided ou roller 50 which controls a special circuit designed to set in operation mechanism lor ringing an outside alarm.- Another cam 77 may be employed for ringing special or ward alarms, all, of course, operated from the common roller 50.

'lhe relation of the several circuits is shown quite clearly in the diagram of Fig, 3. This diagram also illustrates a device for establishing simultaneous talking connec- .Lilo

'non with au of the telephones in 'circuit means of springs 80 in nonfcontacting position. A handle 81 is adapted to be grasped by the operator,` who may draw Adown the doubleV bus-bar 78, thereby simultaneously closing all of the branch circuits 79 With all of the line circuits 32, 4When` the operator i. may simultaneously talk through all of the telephones in the system and advise' the different parties of the location of the fire.

I n theoperation ofthe smaller exchanges it is a common pract-ice to switch oil" the current from vthe pole changer or interf rupter mechanism '48 at certain periods, connection to be made by hand when ringing occurs. Under such conditions it would be essential that our signalin system shall have means for automatica ly establishing the machine isstarted. through a special circuit (S2-operated by members 22, 23 and a special cainvmember 83 on cylinder 50. Said camymember, as shown in Fig. 4, comprises an annular,

' raised portion and a single notch 84 corresponding in' position to the inoperative posi-tion ofroller 50. Circuit 82 includes a the current through the ole changer when.: Ve accomplish this relay/85, which through armature 8G closes the circuit S7 for supplying current to the pole changer.

In the modification `illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, a disk or ring, or series of rings is employed to operateA the movable contact springs in place of a roller or cylinder, as is shown in the other forins.. conuecting rack 88 is provided with connecting niembers 13, and in this form all of the wires of thesystem are brought together in a cable 89, which is extended in a circle 90, as illustrat-ed, and from` which the Wires lead to systems of spring contacts 91 or 92 mounted.

upon circular assembly bars 93 and strai ht bars 94, the assembly bars 93 and 94' refer ably being in vertical planes, as in icate'd. The sets of spring contacts 91 and 92 may be in all respects like those describedinreferenoe to the forms shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the contactmembers 92 are so shown. Members 91 comprise a slightly different form, in which one of the sprin members has an extended portion 95 in t e path of be described. i Journaled in the frame of the machine is a horizontal'shaft 96 operated in any. de-

sired manner bya spring motor 97, saidspring motor being controlled from a relay 98 and 1inger99 engaging a disk 100 and controlled by a' circuitrlOl through lpush button 102,'in general `similar to that described in reference to the structure of Figs. 1 and It is to be noted that the assembly ring 93 and assembly bars 94 are carried by horizontal frame pieces 103, which bars are parallel with the shaft 96. The shaft 96 vhas thereon a disk or wheel ring-104, said ring being provided with a series ot devices for engaging the spring extensions 95. These members may bea-ny form of cani device, and, as shown, comprise a series of. rollers 105 journaled upon the ring 104, said rollers preferably7 being of non-conducting ma.- te'rial. The contacts 92 are preferably specialc'onta'cts for cont-rolling Ward alarm, pole changer circuit, etc., corresponding to similar elements shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Special disks 106, with only one depressed portion 10T, and disk 108, with a series of depressed portions 109, corres ond in func- -tion with disks 77 and 83 o Figs. 1 and 4. It will-be apparent, as is elearlyindicated in Fig. 4, that the assembly rings 93 may be duplicated along the frame members 103, each of said assembly rings carryingits quota of contact members 91,v operating disks or rings 104 being correspondingly positioned along shaft 96 so that as great a i' number of separate circuits as maybe del 5 sii-able may be operated 1n one machine. A l series of resistance lamps 110 may be provided to be connected with' members 91 in 'successive groups so that only a given number of.1inging connections Will be made through any one resistance lamp at a given time, the operation in this respect being .-13 and 44. shown in Fig. 1'.

The utility ofour invention and its practicability foixnse in established telephone. `'exchanges will be apparent. The machine 4can be introdlued into a telephone exchange and the line wires of the telephones of the various nicmbers'ofthe volunteer fire-cour pany of the town or city connected with the machine with perfect facility. The ordinary operation of the telephone exchange, as respects these line wires, will in nowise be affected. although talking and ringing will be carried on over through the machine.

double reinforced spring members which are movable only at their contacting ends, n0 trouble can be experienced from this source.

ed out, are made in pairs of circuits alterengaging members on the disk hereinafter ntpg,nately connected withresistance lamps for similar to that of the resistance lamps 411, 42,

Ringing contacts, vas has already l been pointthe connected lines .1'

Since these connec tions are eifected by platinum contacts on most, Where, as shown, twelve rings. are sent simultaneously, only'ithree of said rings will be sent through any one resistance lamp, and

ground or trouble on any one line; an the same time only four resistancelamps are 'employed 'for the entire machine. The

that number only -couldbe affected bcy a motor employed is an ordinary spring motor of comparatively simple construction and is perfectly and efficiently controlled by the simple relay employed. The rotary movement of the roller through the cams 51 eii'ews the necessary movement of spring membersl22, 23 to bring about closing of the ringing circuits with very little friction and absolute accuracy. The staggering of the sets of cams 51 on roller 50, as above pointed out, prevents undue strain upon the current supply for the pole changer and also makes `practicable the 'arrangement of the contacts so that ringing of a large number of such contacts may be effected through a limited number of resistance lamps with no more than three circuits operating through any one lamp at a given time. The construction is thoroughly practical and meets the requirements of telephone service exchanges in all particulars. e

' Although We have referred to the use of Aour device being associated with a telephone system and the circuits of such a sys'- tem, and it is probably true that the device of our invention may find its largest use in that connection, it will nevertheless be ob vious that-this device may be applied to any system of wiring designed for the purpose 3ov of sending signals from some common point to a plurality of separated. points, as, tor

'i example, an annunciator system such as is employed in hotels and factories.

The specific character of the system of. circuits towhicli our invention is applied is not material except that the apparatus of our invention is specifically designed to be ernbodied in such a system, as, for example, a telephone system, and to perform these functions when called upon in connection with such system, without in any way interfering with the normal operation or endangering the operating parts of such established system.

We claim:

l. An automatic telephone-signaling machine comprising a plurality of sets of pairs of contact springs, one set being connected in line circuits and the other set in ringing circuits of the tele hone system, a plurality of pairs of movab e contacts connected in the line circuits of the telephone system and normally held so as to close said line circuits, a cylindrical member rotatably mounted in proximity with said movable contacts, means on the cylindrical member to engage said contacts and move them to break the line circuits and ciose the ringing circuits, and means to rotate the cylindrical member.

'2. An automatic telephone-signaling machine comprising a plurality of sets of pairs of contact springs, one set being connected in iine circuits and the other set in ringing circuits of the telephone system, a plurality ofpairs of movable Icontacts connected in the line circuits of the telephone system andnormallyA held so as to close said line ciru1ts,.sa1.d movable contacts having projecting portions extending -in a common plane,

.a cylindrical member rotatably -mounted in proximity with said extended portions, cams ori-the cylindrical member engageable with the extendedportions when the cylindrical member is rotated to move said contacts and break the line circuits and close the ringing v cuits-of tlie'telcplion'e system, a plurality of pairs of movable contacts connected in the line circuits ofthe telephone system and normally held so as to close said line'crcuits, said movable contacts having projecting portions extending in a common plane, vc vlinclrical member rotatably mounted .in proximity with said extended portions, cams on the cylindrical member engageable with' the extended portions when the cylindrical member is rotated to move said contacts and break they line'circuits and close the ringing circuits, each of said cams beingvo'f vsuch widthv as to-siniultaneously engage a'tixed number greater than one of said extended portions, and means to rotate the cylindrical member.

t. An automaticitelephone-signaling inichine comprising av plurality of sets of pairs ol contact springs, one set being connected in line circuits and the other set in ringing circuits of the telephone system, a plurality of pairs oi movable contacts connected in the line circuits of the telephone system and normally held so as t'o close said line circuits, a device mounted for rotation in proximity to parts of said .movable contacts,

.means on and movable with said device to engage said contacts and move them to break the line circuits and close the ringing circuits, and means to rotate the devlce.=

An' automatic telephone-signaling machine comprising a plurality of sets of pairs of contact springs, one set being connected in line circuits and the other set in ringing circuits ot' the telephone system, a'plurality of pairs of movable contacts connected in the line circuits of the telephone s stem and normally held so as to close` sai line circuits, a device mounted for rotation' in proximity to parts 'ofsaid movable contacts, means on and movable with said device to engage said contacts and move them to bi'eak' the line circuits and close the ringing circuits, means to rotate thedevice' continuouslypcontrollable means to render said' rotating means-operative, and means automatically terminating the action ofsaid rotating means after a predetermined number of rotations of the device.

mia-ie@ 6. In combination with a telephone system and a plurality of ringin and line circuits thereof, two series of Xed and separated Contact members connected in the line circuits and ringing circuits, respectively, a series of movable contact members associatcd with said fixed members and acting in one osition to close the line circuits and in anot ver position to close the ringing circuits, means normally holding said movable members in position to close the line circuits, a rotatable member, a plurality of sets of devices on `the rotatable member engageable with the .movable contacts when said member is rotated to move said contacts to close and break the ringing circuits a determined number of times during a complete revolution of the rotary member, means to rotate said member, controllable means for rendering said rotatable means operative, and automatic means for terminating said operation when said member has been turned through a complete revolution..

7. ln combination with a telephone system and a plurality of ringing and line circuits thereof, two series of lined and separated Contact members connected in the line circuits and ringing circuits, respectively, a series of movable contact members associated vWith said ixed members and acting in one position to close the line circuits and in another position to close the ringing circuits, means normally hlding said movable members for closing the line circuits, said movable members having extended portions arranged so that pairs thereof will be in common planes, a rotatable member, a plurality of sets of camson the rotatable member, each adapted to engage and operate a pair of said movable contacts when said member is rotated to close and break the ringing circuits a determined number of times durin the complete revolution of the rotary` mem er, a pair of resistance lamps, and means connecting the members of each pair of contacts with the ringing circuits through differentl ones of said resistance lamps.

8. In combination with a telephone system and a plurality of ringing and line circuits thereof, tWo series of fixed and separated contact members connected in the line circuits and ringing circuits, respectively, a series of movable contact members associated with said fixed 4members and acting in one position to close the line circuits and in anothenposition to close the ringing circuits, meansvholdin ,said movable members for normally closing the line circuits, a rotary member, 'ya pliiralitylof sets `of cams on said rotary member' engageable withV the movable contacts when said member is rotated to move said contacts to close and break the ringing circuits a determined number of times during the complete revolution of the rotary member, said sets of cams being arranged in staggered relation so that only a determined number of said movable members will be operated simultaneously, and means to rotate the cam member.

9. ln combination with a telephone system and a plurality of ringing and line circuits thereof, said ringing circuits being connected in multiple alternatelv through one or the other of two resistance amps, and' said resistance lamps, two series ot lined and separated contact members connected in the line circuits and ringing circuits, respectively, a series of movable contact members associated with said fined members and acting in one position to close the line circuits and in another position to close the ringing circuits, means holding said movable members for normally closing vthe line circuits, a rotary member, means on the rotary member` to simultaneously engage pairs of said contacts when said .member is rotated and move the contact to break the line circuits and close pairs oi ringing circuits, respectively connected through separate resistance lamps, and mea-ns to rotate the member.

10, ln combination with a telephone system and a plurality of ringing and line circuits thereof, said ringing circuits being connected in multiple alternately through one or the other of two resistance lamps, and said resistance lamps, two series ot lined and separated contact members connected in the line circuits and ringing circuits, respectively, a series of movable contact members associated with said ixed members and acting in one position to close the line circuits and in another position to close the ringing circuits, means holding said movable members for normally closing the line circuits, a rotary member, means on the rotary member to simultaneously engage pairs of said contacts when said. member is rotated and move the contacts to break the line circuits and close pairs of ringing circuits, respectively connected through separate resistance lamps, said engaging members being arranged in sets in staggered relation so that onlyA a determined number of pairs of movable contacts will be operated simultaneously, and means to rotate the member.

ln testimony whereof We alliX our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

LGUIS A. MEYERS. OLIVER H. TRACY.

Witnesses:

il. A. BOWMAN, F. A. lVHrrnLnr. 

